Students enrolling in the University Honors Program join a unique and diverse community of peers, faculty scholars, staff members, advisors, alumni, community members, and supporters. Providing a supportive community represents an important goal of the program. The Honors Program is not only focused on academics. To be a success, the program must provide a learning environment that promotes social interaction, trust, generosity, caring, and teamwork.

First-year Honors students plan their classes and enjoy pizza in the Honors office.

As active members of the Honors community, students are afforded many unique opportunities and benefits, including:

• Membership in a welcoming, supportive, and close-knit community focused on learning;
• Opportunities to work closely with individual faculty members in more intimate classroom settings and on co-curricular projects;
• Small-enrollment, degree-applicable Honors courses focused on interesting subjects within the University’s General Education Program;
• A yearlong first-year experience course that counts as a General Education requirement and focuses on topics related to sustainability, equity, justice, global perspectives, leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, project-based learning, and service;
• Unique and interesting Honors seminar courses taught by faculty experts from across campus;
• Guidance, advising, mentoring, and support by Honors faculty, staff, and peers to assist students during their transition to university life and to help ensure their academic success;
• Dedicated space in Kennedy Library for studying, interacting with other Honors students, working on group projects, and meeting with program advisors;
• Reserved space for incoming first-year students in an Honors living learning community;
• Support services and unique learning opportunities for transfer students;
• A structured overlay curriculum that includes Honors General Education courses as well as opportunities for deeper learning, collaboration, and engagement in service, civic engagement, international study, research, leadership, teaching, and mentoring;
• Opportunities to conduct meaningful interdisciplinary research with students and faculty from across campus; and
• Recognition upon graduation and during commencement for the time, effort, and dedication required to successfully complete the Honors Program.